With the last two summers being the warmest years in the UK since records began, and the warmest ten years all occurring since 2003, there is no doubt that our climate is becoming more akin to the Mediterranean weather we used to have to go abroad to experience. While sun worshippers and staycationers enjoy the heat, however, it can cause major issues for businesses, hospitals, schools and local authorities, who have to carry on working as the mercury rises.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 state that ‘employers have a legal obligation to provide a workplace for all their staff with a reasonable temperature in which to work’. Modern offices have air conditioning installed during construction, but record-breaking hot weather makes compliance with H&S laws a real problem for the vast majority of UK workplaces which don’t have this luxury.
Factory floors with heavy machines constantly on the go, modern classrooms with acres of plate glass windows and hospital wards are just some examples of workplaces which can become uncomfortable, even unbearable, in the heat. Equipment can fail, employees and other building users can suffer heat-related symptoms such as headaches, dehydration, faintness, heat rash and nausea, and there’s no doubt that concentration is affected and productivity compromised.
The solution to the issue is the installation of an industrial chiller which will keep internal temperatures at exactly the right level, but the dilemma for estates and building services managers is whether to buy a chiller unit outright or hire one.
There are, inevitably, pros and cons for each decision, but the flexibility of chiller hire rental has numerous advantages.
To begin with, while we know summers are getting hotter and longer, weather forecasting is still a somewhat inexact science. A UK business buying a chiller unit to maintain workplace temperature will be raiding capital expenditure for something which is likely to stand idle and take up valuable space for six months of the year. If your business expands, you might find your bought unit is too small – and occasionally a true British summer could be thrown into the mix, giving us weeks of grey skies and rain which will again negate the use of a permanent chiller unit. Commercial chiller hire, however, is very cost effective, as you only employ it when you need it, and you’ll be able to extend or reduce your hire period, or change the unit for a larger or smaller one, depending on whether the summer channels Ibiza or Iceland.
To begin with, while we know summers are getting hotter and longer, weather forecasting is still a somewhat inexact science. A UK business buying a chiller unit to maintain workplace temperature will be raiding capital expenditure for something which is likely to stand idle and take up valuable space for six months of the year. If your business expands, you might find your bought unit is too small – and occasionally a true British summer could be thrown into the mix, giving us weeks of grey skies and rain which will again negate the use of a permanent chiller unit. Commercial chiller hire, however, is very cost effective, as you only employ it when you need it, and you’ll be able to extend or reduce your hire period, or change the unit for a larger or smaller one, depending on whether the summer channels Ibiza or Iceland.
A temporary chiller from a reputable company will always arrive in tip-top condition, having been regularly checked and serviced. All the chiller units from Ideal Heat Solutions contain internal monitors which continually track the chiller’s performance, for added reassurance.
A temporary chiller unit isn’t just for hot summers. Some industries, such as food and beverages and pharmaceuticals, can require additional chilling back-up at any time of year for reasons including extra storage, seasonal peaks, planned maintenance and, of course, the dreaded unexpected breakdown. These needs can easily be met with flexible commercial chiller hire tailored to their specific parameters.
At Ideal Heat Solutions, we supply industrial chillers for every type of organisation. We pay careful attention to each one’s operational requirements, site dimensions and budget, and will put together a comprehensive chiller unit hire package which can be utilised whenever the heat is on. Contact us to arrange for a site visit from one of our expert engineers.
